2005 News

Wirral Egg Run organisers resign

March 1, 2005... We have just received this message from the organisers of the Wirral Egg Run:

"In 1980 a local motorcycle club, the Empress MCC, decided it would be a good idea to get a group of bikers together and have a "run", to ride from New Brighton to Arrowe Park Hospital and donate Easter Eggs to the children's ward. This run took place every year until by 1996 over 1,500 motorcycles took part in the event. By this time the local police were happy to assist with the event, both leading the run and putting temporary road closures in place to ensure a steady and safe procession.

In 1998 the organisation of the Wirral Egg Run was taken over by the Wirral Motorcycle Runs Committee, 12 purely voluntary individuals. The Wirral Egg Run continued to grow until the year 2000 when 4,256 motorcycles took part, the largest it has ever been. In 2000 it was decided that the run should terminate at Clatterbridge Hospital as Arrowe Park was not big enough for the number of motorbikes. From 2001 to 2004 the number of participants has been between 3,500 and 4,000 motorcycles.

Throughout all these years the local police were still happy to attend and lead the run, marshall the run, and put temporary road closures in place. During the planning of the 2005 Egg Run, the committee were informed by the police and local council that changes would have to be made to comply with new legislation. The Committee wished to plan the event in much the same way as previous years but we were and still are willing to comply with any health and safety considerations. Members of the committee have met with representatives of the police and council on numerous occasions over the last 8 months, and unfortunately have met with a generally unhelpful attitude, particularly from senior police officers.

Rumours have persisted for 9 months about possible charges from the police and council for their services for this year's Egg Run. Estimates of up to £8,000 from the police have been suggested. The organisers cannot confirm the existence of these charges as both the police and council have both been unable or unwilling to quote accurate figures for the organisers to consider. The police claim the event in its current form is unsafe. In the last 10 years there have only been 3 minor accidents, only one of which resulted in any injury to a rider. The organisers consider this to be a good safety history.

The police are refusing to close roads as they say that they have been doing this illegally for the last 10 years! The police are unable or unwilling to say why they were happy to "break the law" themselves in the past but cannot this year. The police are concerned about the safety of riders doing 'high fives' with spectators, particularly children, along the route. Every year marshals and riders are instructed that this is a potentially dangerous activity, and every year this has been stressed in all the advertising for the event.

A senior police spokesperson says that there are 190 junctions on the egg run route. There are actually 197, but no more than 16 junctions have ever been closed in the past, and no more closures were proposed for the 2005 Egg Run. The organisers feel that the police are deliberately trying to mislead the public, why?

Each time organisers have met with police and council officials the goal-posts seem to move in terms of what is required of the organisers. At no time have the organisers been given all the information required to complete the plans and applications being asked for by the police and council.

The police state that the run is getting bigger every year and is now unmanageable. Police have "estimated" that up to 15,000 motorcycles attend the event. Previously quoted figures show this statement to be incorrect and again misleading to the public. Video evidence has been offered to the police for them to verify the figures but this has been refused.

Senior police officers were asked 3 times in a meeting, "what is different this year?", and were unable to give a satisfactory answer. The police have suggested that this year's Egg Run should go from New Brighton via the M53 motorway to Clatterbridge. Is this safer? Can learner riders go on the motorway? Can the public watch and donate money to collectors? Can children still take part as pillions on the run? Suprisingly the police have offered to close the motorway for this, their preferred route. Are they offering to do this "illegally" as in previous years? Have the goal-posts moved again?

The organisers feel this is an ill-considered and extremely dangerous proposal by the police who claim to be concerned primarily about the safety of the event. Registration schemes and static events have been discussed, but it was agreed that they would be unworkable and would not generate the interest that the run does. It's the Wirral 'Motorcycle Egg Run' not the Wirral 'Show'. You wouldn't hold the Grand National without letting the horses 'run'.

Since the millennium alone the Egg Run has raised over £50,000 and tens of thousands of easter eggs for children around Wirral. Throughout the history of the egg run all monies collected go directly to the charities each year. This year is the 25th anniversary of the Wirral Egg Run.

From the Wirral Motorcycle Runs Committee, on behalf of local children's charities and children in hospital, " Thank you Wirral Borough Council and, more to the point, Merseyside Police for caring about those who need it most."

As a result of the above problems, we as a committee reluctantly feel that our only option is to resign as organisers of the Wirral Egg Run as of Sunday 20th February 2005.

'WE' ARE NOT THE ONES CANCELLING THE WIRRAL EGG RUN!"

Yet another GL1800 recall!

January 27, 2005....(updated Feb 12) News is coming in from the USA that almost all GL1800's are now subject to the famous 'frame safety recall' (which, if required, adds additional TIG welding to the frame where the lower cross member meets the side rails).

The only bikes exempt from this new recall are those made AFTER September 19th 2003 (as well as those that have already been rewelded during the previous recall). In the US, the last recall affected ~8,000 bikes - this one is reported to affect ~12,000 more!

US-spec VIN numbers affected (spaces and commas added for clarity):

2001 non-ABS: 1HFSC 470*1A 0 00,010 - 1HFSC 470*1A 0 06,709

2001 ABS: 1HFSC 474*1A 0 00,034 - 1HFSC 474*1A 0 02,553

2002 non-ABS: 1HFSC 470*2A 1 00,001 - 1HFSC 470*2A 1 11,802

2002 ABS: 1HFSC 474*2A 1 00,001 - 1HFSC 474*2A 1 02,393

2003 non-ABS: 1HFSC 470*3A 2 04,861 - 1HFSC 470*3A 2 12,217

2003 ABS: 1HFSC 474*3A 2 01,127 - 1HFSC 474*3A 2 03,256

2004 non-ABS: 1HFSC 470*4A 3 00,001 - 1HFSC 470*4A 3 01,683

2004 ABS: 1HFSC 474*4A 3 00,001 - 1HFSC 474*4A 3 00,334

Another GL1800 recall!

January 14, 2005.... "American Honda is conducting a SAFETY RECALL on affected models. The recall will inspect the Proportioning Control Valve (PCV) on vehicles equipped with linked or anti-lock brakes. In limited circumstances, the existing proportioning valve could develop a leak. Over time, the leak could result in a total loss of fluid from the rear brake system. If the motorcycle continues to be used after a leak occurs the rear brake would eventually become inoperative. In worst case, the loss of rear brake force may cause a crash."

"The instructions and procedures necessary to repair the affected motorcycles will be available the week of January 24th... Parts required to perform these repairs if a leak is found will be available later that same week."

"American Honda will mail a notice of this Recall to owners of all affected motorcycles."

This affects certain VINs of 2002-2004 GL1800/A's, 2002-2003 CBR1100XX, 2002-2004 VFR800/A's, and 2003-2004 ST1300/A's.